Weather Watch: All performances of The Little Mermaid will be presented as scheduled this weekend. Check back here for weather watch updates. An update will be posted on Saturday, January 23 at approximately 4:30pm.

Professional Development

Professional Development for Teachers

NYS Common Core Arts Integration

At a time when funding for arts education programs are receiving drastic cuts and schools must consider diminishing or eliminating their arts related classes, The Play Group Theatre is offering professional development courses to help teachers bridge the gap and integrate arts education into the classroom. PGT Professional Development courses provide guidance to administrators and classroom teachers on integrating standards articulated in the Common Core into the curriculum of each grade level, including activities, rubrics, and sample lesson plans.

Whether we focus on test scores and academic grades or overall child development, it is clear that arts education transforms classroom learning. When the arts are part of the fabric of a school, through the regular classroom curriculum as well as extension activities from in-school residencies, learning is enhanced in all subjects and the school's social environment is strengthened.

An organic and holistic approach to arts education allows children to develop learning and thinking skills which translate into all subject areas, as well as the social/emotional arena. Here's why:

When we are able to reach more children, they are more likely to view themselves, and more of their peers, as successful in the school environment.

The arts foster higher order thinking skills, including analysis, judgment, reflection and decision making skills, all of which are useful in every subject.

The arts create enthusiasm for learning

The arts teach creativity and provide a forum for understanding and celebrating different points of view

Through presentation, discussion and hands-on activity, the PGT Professional Development course provides teachers with the information and learning strategies necessary to foster development in the following standards, articulated in the New York State Common Core:

collaboration and effective communication

developing and expressing point of view

text analysis

responding to literature

character development

exploring a variety of perspectives and gaining empathy for a variety of people

adapting voice and using language in a variety of ways

expressing and understanding personal, social and cultural connections